NLT and Galatians 3:13
After loving how the NLT translated 1 Peter 1:20-22, I was disappointed to see the addition made in Galatians 3:13. Compare the verse:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”–  (ESV)
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (NLT)
There is just simply no reason for inserting “he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.” It is not for clarity because the translation of the other versions are clear. The NLT could have read, “Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written in the Scriptures, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” Paul tells us how Christ became a curse for us – by hanging on a tree, that is, dying on the cross. In my opinion, the NLT rendering loses the force of this point with its insertion.
This is the kind of thing that disappoints me from time to time concerning the NLT. I wish that insertions like this were not made when it is not necessary for clarity. Obviously, this is just my opinion. For me, the NLT gets so close to being great, but then I get frustrated when unneeded additions are made.
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Your Thoughts
3 Comments so far3 Responses to “NLT and Galatians 3:13”
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Joe
March 5, 2009 at 1:57 pm
That is a rather lengthy insertion … not even the NCV or CEV felt the need to clarify it any further.
Joel
March 5, 2009 at 11:00 pm
The NLY and CEV are not translations that utilize word for word accuracy.  I love my CEV, but I understand it’s flaws.  Hanging from a tree has been among the worst ways of capital punishment from  Roman times.  using those translations, people could be misled into thinking that if they were Hung from a tree for being a ‘christian, then they would be cursed to hell.  Jesus hung from a tree and he sits at the right hand of God.  that makes me believe that the curse was carried by Christ to give us an opportunity to live according to God’s  will and not be punished for sins of the past.
Joe
March 5, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I brought up the NCV and CEV because in my opinion they are running with the same crowd as the NLT – as not being word for word translations. But even those(NCV/CEV) translations did not add as much as the NLT did here was what I wanted to bring out.
That is why websites like this are a valuable resource because it allows these flaws to be brought forward.